How does the Daily Meditation help you?

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Daily Meditation Ministry Survey - We Would Love To Hear From You! Dear Charles,  Thank you for being a faithful subscriber to the Daily Meditation Ministry. Would you please tell us how this ministry helps you each day? We have created a very brief survey that will take less than five minutes.  Please consider completing the survey with the full understanding that what you have to say is vital to the Nouwen Society and any future development of this ministry. Click on this link to access the survey:  http://survey.constantcontact.com/survey/a07eb7lrm3qibgwdi2y/start  We are grateful that the Daily Meditation reaches well over 40,000 subscribers worldwide and this number is steadily increasing.  Our goal is to share this ministry with as many people as possible and to be as relevant as possible.   Thank you in advance for your participation in our survey.  We will get back to you with the results and our plans for the future, based on what we have heard from you.           Faithfully,   Karen Pascal, Executive Director

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Daily Meditation: Coming Home

Coming Home - from Henri Nouwen's Bread for the Journey In the parable of the prodigal son (Luke 15:11-32), there are two sons: the younger son, who runs away from home to an alien country, and the older son, who stays home to do his duty.  The younger son dissipates himself with alcohol and sex; the older son alienates himself by working hard and dutifully fulfilling all his obligations.  Both are lost.  Their father grieves over both, because with neither of them does he experience the intimacy he desires. Both lust and cold obedience can prevent us from being true children of God.  Whether we are like the younger son or the older son, we have to come home to the place where we can rest in the embrace of God's unconditional love. For further reflection ... "Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.  Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.  For my yoke is easy and my burden is light." - Matthew 11: 28-30 (NIV) Comment on this Daily Meditation. Our summer book discussion is on "Finding My Way Home". Join us!   Visit our website for inspiration, resources, news, events, community.     Text excerpts taken from Bread for the Journey, by Henri J.M. Nouwen, ©1997 HarperSanFrancisco. All Scripture from The Jerusalem Bible ©1966, 1967, and 1968 Darton, Longman & Todd and Doubleday & Co. Inc. Photo by V. Dobson. Scripture chosen by L. Yeskoo.

Forward this Daily Meditation to a friend! This email was sent to cbgamb@gmail.com, by email_lists@henrinouwen.org Update Profile/Email Address | Instant removal with SafeUnsubscribe™ | Privacy Policy. Henri Nouwen Society | PO Box 220522 | St. Louis | MO | 63122 | USA Henri Nouwen Society | 95 St. Joseph Street, Room 214 | Toronto | ON | M5S 2R9 | Canada

Daily Meditation: Taking Up Our Crosses

Taking Up Our Crosses - from Henri Nouwen's Bread for the Journey Jesus says:  "If anyone wants to be a follower of mine, let him ... take up his cross and follow me" (Matthew 16:24).   He does not say:  "Make a cross" or "Look for a cross."  Each of us has a cross to carry.  There is no need to make one or look for one.  The cross we have is hard enough for us!  But are we willing to take it up, to  accept it as our cross? Maybe we can't study, maybe we are handicapped, maybe we suffer from depression, maybe we experience conflict in our families, maybe we are victims of violence or abuse.  We didn't choose any of it, but these things are our crosses.  We can ignore them, reject them, refuse them or hate them.  But we can also take  up these crosses and follow Jesus with them. For further reflection ... "Then your light will break forth like the dawn, and your healing will quickly appear; then your righteousness will go before you, and the glory of the Lord will be your rear guard.  Then you will call, and the Lord will answer; you will cry for help, and he will say: Here am I." - Isaiah 58: 8, 9a (NIV) Comment on this Daily Meditation. Summer book discussion on "Finding My Way Home" starts June 28th. Join us!   Visit our website for inspiration, resources, news, events, community.     Text excerpts taken from Bread for the Journey, by Henri J.M. Nouwen, ©1997 HarperSanFrancisco. All Scripture from The Jerusalem Bible ©1966, 1967, and 1968 Darton, Longman & Todd and Doubleday & Co. Inc. Photo by V. Dobson. Scripture chosen by L. Yeskoo.

Forward this Daily Meditation to a friend! This email was sent to cbgamb@gmail.com, by email_lists@henrinouwen.org Update Profile/Email Address | Instant removal with SafeUnsubscribe™ | Privacy Policy. Henri Nouwen Society | PO Box 220522 | St. Louis | MO | 63122 | USA Henri Nouwen Society | 95 St. Joseph Street, Room 214 | Toronto | ON | M5S 2R9 | Canada

Daily Meditation: Downward Mobility

Downward Mobility - from Henri Nouwen's Bread for the Journey The society in which we live suggests in countless ways that the way to go is up.    Making it to the top, entering the limelight, breaking the record - that's what draws attention, gets us on the front page of the newspaper, and offers us the rewards of money and fame. The way of Jesus is radically different.  It is the way not of upward mobility but of downward mobility.  It is going to the bottom, staying behind the sets, and choosing the last place!  Why is the way of Jesus worth choosing?  Because it is the way to the Kingdom, the way Jesus took, and the way that brings everlasting life.    For further reflection ... "Humble yourselves, therefore, under God's mighty hand, that he may lift you up in due time." - I Peter 5: 6 (NIV) Comment on this Daily Meditation. Summer book discussion on "Finding My Way Home" starts June 28th. Join us!   Visit our website for inspiration, resources, news, events, community.     Text excerpts taken from Bread for the Journey, by Henri J.M. Nouwen, ©1997 HarperSanFrancisco. All Scripture from The Jerusalem Bible ©1966, 1967, and 1968 Darton, Longman & Todd and Doubleday & Co. Inc. Photo by V. Dobson. Scripture chosen by L. Yeskoo.

Forward this Daily Meditation to a friend! This email was sent to cbgamb@gmail.com, by email_lists@henrinouwen.org Update Profile/Email Address | Instant removal with SafeUnsubscribe™ | Privacy Policy. Henri Nouwen Society | PO Box 220522 | St. Louis | MO | 63122 | USA Henri Nouwen Society | 95 St. Joseph Street, Room 214 | Toronto | ON | M5S 2R9 | Canada